Re: HBO greenlights Game of Thrones!

I must be one of the only people who thought the finale was worthless.

Yeah I get the talk of "penultimate episode was more climactic", but doesn't excuse the finale from being absolutely nothing but setup for next season. almost every single scene. I just watched it again to see if I judged it harshly, but I didn't judge it harshly enough. The only 3 (short) scenes that weren't abject whoring for season 2 were "check out pop's head", Drogo's funeral and Jaime mouthing off to Cateryn (which I did enjoy).

I get that there's a story line to maintain, but things could have been rejiggered to combine the last 2 episodes. IT would have been better as a 2 hour finale with the last 2 episodes mixed (not simply laid end on end)

Re: HBO greenlights Game of Thrones!

did anybody else notice that Greyjoy's ween is completely soft immediately after his tumble with Ros in what I'm pretty sure is episode 4? I mean c'mon now, with all the effort that's put into this amazing production, you would think they could at least get a stunt boner or something

Re: HBO greenlights Game of Thrones!

Originally Posted by shermanoaksyo

I think the fact that it is an adaptation of a crazy epic w/ a limited budget, that some of the storylines are rushed, that these big battles occur without us getting a glimpse... that stuff adds up to inherent inferiority vis-a-vis the original works of the HBO holy trinity.

But GOT is extremely fucking great, don't get me wrong.

Originally Posted by jackstraw94086

I must be one of the only people who thought the finale was worthless.

Yeah I get the talk of "penultimate episode was more climactic", but doesn't excuse the finale from being absolutely nothing but setup for next season. almost every single scene. I just watched it again to see if I judged it harshly, but I didn't judge it harshly enough. The only 3 (short) scenes that weren't abject whoring for season 2 were "check out pop's head", Drogo's funeral and Jaime mouthing off to Cateryn (which I did enjoy).

I get that there's a story line to maintain, but things could have been rejiggered to combine the last 2 episodes. IT would have been better as a 2 hour finale with the last 2 episodes mixed (not simply laid end on end)

Swords and castles and dragons are pretty silly things for most grown ups to pay attention to. The reason this show works and excels is because of the talented actors and screenwriters who are effectively able to ground this story in human emotions. They were smart to leave the spectacle stuff in the background as much as possible. Epic battleground scenes are almost always done badly and never capture the magnitude of loss accurately. Seeing the eggs hatch in the fire would have looked exactly like dig dug.

If there was a show next week, then this show would have been the penultimate hoo haa and what not. The argument seems non sensical.

I dont agree with the idea that every scene was worthless or a set up. Both of the two scenes revealing the betrayal and treachery of the witch were both unexpected kicks in the stomache.

when the sun sets in the east and rises in the west...

The Godfather II almost pillow scene. Sure she was going to use her dead husbands soul to help make dragon babies or whatever, but it comes across in a very human way as a new brides mercy killing her waking comatose husband.

This show it at its greatest displaying recognizable human emotions while being surrounded by other-worldly things.

Re: HBO greenlights Game of Thrones!

What chunk said, although most of the credit is deservedly George RR Martin's, for creating such wonderful characters, and skullfucking your expectations at pretty much every turn. Which is not to say that David Benioff & Dan Weiss did not do an extraordinary job (Herculean, really) of adaptation, especially considering the time and budget constraints they faced.

As far as the last episode goes, its the end of the 1st book in a seven book series. It dealt with the aftermath of Ned's execution, resolved Jon's allegiance...for now, and completed Dany's transformation from chattel rape victim to Mother. of. Motherfucking. Dragons. I'd say it was a resounding success.

jackstraw's reaction is, in fact, exactly the same as most book readers'. "Gods damn you, I want more!!!!!" At least you bastards know when its comin, try waiting 2 years...then 3 years...then 4 years...then 5 years...is it July 12 yet?

Please buy the DVD/Blu-rays and the books and the T-shirts and the keychains and any other HBO merch you can possibly afford. Most important, get every single person you have ever met to watch this show. There are tens of thousands of fantasy novels on your local bookshelves, but there is only ONE fantasy television show that's worth a shit.

"You should get some sleep, its going to be a long war."
- Jaime Lannister

Re: HBO greenlights Game of Thrones!

Also, Natalie Dormer, who played Anne Boleyn in Tudors, has been cast as Margaery Tyrell, sister of Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers. She's quite a bit older than Margaery in the books, but I could never argue with her.

Re: HBO greenlights Game of Thrones!

If it was possible, and the people at HBO were clever, they'd release these DVDs within at least three months of the new book. People are going to finish A Dance with Dragons and be on the hook for more A Song of Ice and Fire.

Re: HBO greenlights Game of Thrones!

Originally Posted by chunk

Swords and castles and dragons are pretty silly things for most grown ups to pay attention to. The reason this show works and excels is because of the talented actors and screenwriters who are effectively able to ground this story in human emotions. They were smart to leave the spectacle stuff in the background as much as possible. Epic battleground scenes are almost always done badly and never capture the magnitude of loss accurately. Seeing the eggs hatch in the fire would have looked exactly like dig dug.

If there was a show next week, then this show would have been the penultimate hoo haa and what not. The argument seems non sensical.

I dont agree with the idea that every scene was worthless or a set up. Both of the two scenes revealing the betrayal and treachery of the witch were both unexpected kicks in the stomache.

when the sun sets in the east and rises in the west...

The Godfather II almost pillow scene. Sure she was going to use her dead husbands soul to help make dragon babies or whatever, but it comes across in a very human way as a new brides mercy killing her waking comatose husband.

This show it at its greatest displaying recognizable human emotions while being surrounded by other-worldly things.

As the goat said, a lot of this is due credit to George R.R. One of the reasons the books are so compelling is how it somehow sprinkles in the "magic" and fantasy-like elements, yet keeps them as an underlying/driving force. Example: Everyone in the first book TALKS of dragons, but the reader never really gets the idea that dragons exist/will come into play.
Same thing goes for magic. It is so lightly hinted at throughout first and second book, even debunked and discredited...but, well, keep reading. And then of course the same things goes for all the the "fantasy" creatures north of the wall.

Because of the way Martin wove these things in, magic/dragons/sword play/fantasy creatures become MUCH more real, as opposed to, say, Tyrion shouting "I cast a fireball to your face!" FIREBALL, and Bran shouting back "lighting bolt, LIGHTING BOLT!"

Re: HBO greenlights Game of Thrones!

Storm of Swords is the best book of the three I've read so far. So much goes down in the book! I'm enjoying this series so much more than I ever thought I would. I don't usually like fantasy (or epic fantasy) much.

Re: HBO greenlights Game of Thrones!

I finished the fifth book last night. It was definitely a step up from the fourth one, and as much as it's going to suck to wait ten months for season 2, it's going to suck a lot more waiting for book 6. SO many things I want to know.

Re: HBO greenlights Game of Thrones!

Originally Posted by bmack86

I finished the fifth book last night. It was definitely a step up from the fourth one, and as much as it's going to suck to wait ten months for season 2, it's going to suck a lot more waiting for book 6. SO many things I want to know.

That's good to know -- I'm still reading book 4, and it gets a bit tedious at times. Book 3 (A Storm of Swords) was the best so far.

Re: HBO greenlights Game of Thrones!

For anyone who hasn't read A Feast for Crows (Book 4) yet (or even if you have), here's an attempt at a chronological reading order for a Feast/Dance with Dragons megabook that I found. Its spoiler free, just a chapter list, except inasmuch as the chapter titles themselves are spoilers. I'll probably try this next time I re-read.

Re: HBO greenlights Game of Thrones!

Re: HBO greenlights Game of Thrones!

Originally Posted by bballarl

Let me know when we can start discussing the fifth book in here.

Don't see why now isn't fine.

People gonna finish when they finish (especially given the intent of the thread to bring in new readers/viewers). No reason to have some arbitrary deadline, just use inviso-text and/or spoiler warnings beforehand. Shouldn't be too difficult.

Also, here's the full Emmy nomination list. Thought I posted this last month, but apparently booze got the better of me...again.

And here's the Season 2 cast page, excepting Michael McElhatton as Roose Bolton, Robert Pugh as Craster, and Ben Crompton as Dolourous Edd, who were cast in the past few days (also note, "Asha Greyjoy" has been changed to "Yara Greyjoy" to avoid confusion with Osha. Commence bitching):

Re: HBO greenlights Game of Thrones!

Originally Posted by the goat

For anyone who hasn't read A Feast for Crows (Book 4) yet (or even if you have), here's an attempt at a chronological reading order for a Feast/Dance with Dragons megabook that I found. Its spoiler free, just a chapter list, except inasmuch as the chapter titles themselves are spoilers. I'll probably try this next time I re-read.